By Bob Gibson
Daily Progress political blogger

    Del. Riley E. Ingram, R-Hopewell, may have found the right time and political atmosphere to overcome a previously immovable object in the General Assembly—opposition to legislation that would strengthen Virginia’s cock-fighting laws.

  Then again, the former Hopewell mayor’s bid to get tough on cockfighting may suffer enough cuts to die on the floor along with previous bids to end bird bloodbaths, based on recent General Assembly history.

    A barbaric blood sport, fighting chickens to the death has enough followers in rural Virginia that bills to criminalize it the way dog-fighting has been outlawed fall short of making their way out of the legislative ring.

    Just ask Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle County, who had to drop anti-cockfighting provisions from a bill he had a few years back stiffening the state’s dogfighting laws.

    Ingram is quarterbacking the effort to end cockfighting this year with his House Bill 32, which would criminalize the business of cockfighting as it makes a Class 1 misdemeanor out of an activity that now carries lesser fines only if betting is proven or admission is charged.

    Ingram’s bill is summarized on Richmond Sunlight http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2008/hb32/ as covering the “fighting of cocks and other animals; penalty.  Increases the penalty for engaging in the fighting of cocks or other animals, except dogs, from a Class 3 to a Class 1 misdemeanor.  Currently, the penalties only apply if (i) the fighting occurs for money, prizes, or anything of value, (ii) an admissions fee is charged, or (iii) wagering occurs.  These conditions are removed.  The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to possess, own, train, or sell cocks or other animals, except dogs, for fighting.“

    The dog-fighting advocates are washed up in Virginia, so maybe it is time to add cockfighting to the list of banned barbarities.

    Since other lobbies are weaker, the rabbit-fighting lobby may be of little use to the chicken-fighting advocates who, no doubt, will aim a sharp spur at Ingram’s bill.